Nurse Practitioner certification

Subspecialties

NCCA & ABSNC ACCREDITATION: NCC nurse and subspecialty certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for a five year period through March 2020.

NCC nurse practitioner certification programs are accredited by both the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) for a five year period through October 2021 and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for a five year period through March 2020.

FEES:

• The cost of every exam includes a $50 non-refundable application fee. • The entire exam fee ($325 for Core/$210 for Subspecialty) must be paid when submitting application.• All applications must be submitted online at the NCC website.• The exam registration catalog lists additional fees that may apply. • Exam fees vary depending on the type of test – see listing below.

24 months specialty experience as a US or Canadian RN comprised of a minimum of 2000 hours

Employment in the specialty sometime in the last 24 months

Both practice time and hours must be met. This is not an either/or criterion.

Core Nurse Practitioner Exams leading to a NP-BC Certification:The following requirements must be met to apply for the Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner or Neonatal Nurse Practitioner certification exam:

Current U.S. nursing licensure is required. (Canadian licensure accepted if the APRN graduated from an NCC approved US program.)

Successful completion of a formal nurse practitioner program that prepares neonatal or women's health care nurse practitioners and awards either a graduate's degree (Master's, a post-Master's or DNP) in the specialty

To be eligible you must take the certification examination within 8 years of graduation.

Subspecialty Exam leading to a C-EFM Certification:The following requirements must be met to apply for the Electronic Fetal Monitoring subspecialty certification exam:

Subspecialty Exam leading to a C-NPT Certification:The following requirements must be met to apply for the Neonatal Pediatric Transport subspecialty certification exam:

Current licensure as a RN, NP, physician, respiratory therapist, paramedic or physician assistant.

No practice experience is required but it is recommended that for the best possibility for successfully completing the certification process is that you have a minimum of two years of experience. Review more details in the registration catalog

METHODS OF TESTING:

Individual testing by Computer - the test is taken at one of 250 test centers across the country at NCC's testing vendor AMP test sites.

Institutional Certification Program (ICP) Testing - these are examinations contracted with employers to give a test at the employer site. You will have a designated test code to register.

Professional Education Consultant (PEC) Testing - these are examinations offered following a PEC educational offering. You have to be registered for a PEC course to apply and will have a designated test code to register.

How computer testing works

When and how can I apply

Registration is available on demand. Apply online at the NCC website at any convenient time, 24/7.

Testing occurs in 90 day cycles beginning the 5th and the 20th of each month.

Application processing

We will confirm that we have received your application by email.

It may take up to 4 weeks to process an application.

During this time your application is put into a 90-day testing window, starting on the 5th or 20th of the month.

Once we have determined you eligible to take the exam, we will send an email informing you that you have been approved and providing the date we will email your eligibility letter.

You will receive your eligibility letter as an email. It will provide details regarding your 90-day testing window: the time frame during which time you must schedule and take the exam, and how to schedule your exam.

Once you receive the letter, it is recommended that you schedule your testing appointment as soon as possible as testing times cannot be guaranteed if you wait.

If you do not receive your eligibility letter within 4 weeks of your examination application submission confirmation, contact info@nccnet.org.

It is recommended that you read the Candidate Guide for the exam you are taking so you can become familiar with all NCC policies and procedures. You will be subject to them so it is to your advantage to understand the certification process and rules.

How to schedule an exam

You will schedule your own exam appointment with AMP either by phone or via the internet. Only those who have been found eligible and have been notified by email can schedule an exam.

What kind of computer skills are necessary

If you can press on a key on the keyboard or click on a mouse, you have all the requisite skills to take an NCC computer exam.

Prior to attempting the examination, you will be given the opportunity to practice taking a test on computer. This does not count against your testing test.

You can mark questions for re-review before submitting them at any time during the testing.

You will have the opportunity complete a survey about your testing experience.

How will results be disseminated?

After completing the examination, a preliminary score report will be issued at the test site.

These results are not official. Official results will be mailed from NCC within 21 days of exam administration (date of certification is based on the date on the official results not the exam date).

Test scores are NOT available by phone or on the NCC website.

Verification of certification

Verification of certification status to third parties cannot be made until after the official results are received in the mail.

Verifications are done ONLY through the online verification system. There are fees for sending verifications. This process is initiated by the certified professional. This verification is for primary source verification, meaning the entity requesting the verification requires the verification to come from NCC directly and not the individual certified professional.

NCC does not send verifications to state boards of nursing or any other entity automatically. The individual holding the NCC certification must initiate the verification process via the online verification system.

Verification of eligibility to test should be submitted with the registration application or can be submitted separately. There is no fee for this service. This is not a verification of certification.

Official documentation of the NCC certification is available to the individual certified professional at any time free of charge from their NCC account on the NCC website. This information password protected and to access the individual must sign in with their email and password to the website first.

Extending or deferring my computer test date: What happens if you can't take the exam?

Change your Testing Date, Method of Testing or Exam Category

Candidates who cannot take their currently scheduled examination, have missed their testing date or need to take a different exam - can request a change. Candidates may request to change their examination category, reschedule their testing date or even change their method of testing, provided that they meet the requirements listed below. Candidates are only allowed one change option (ex. if you reschedule your examination date, you will not be able to change your examination category). All change requests must be approved by NCC and you may be required to provide additional information. There will be no refund of original fees or Change Request fees. Candidates who fail to take the examination under this change option must re-apply with full fees.

Candidates Requesting a change MUST: • Submit the change request within one calendar year from — the date of the exam you are changing for ICP or PEC candidates — the last date of your assigned testing window for computer candidates • Submit a non-refundable fee of $125 with the Change Request Form • Use the NCC website online Change Request Form (changes requested in any other format, will not be accepted)

To reschedule or change method of testing: • Candidates changing a current computer test must have canceled or never made their appointment to take the exam at an AMP center• Candidates changing from an ICP test must have their assigned test site code • Candidates changing from a PEC test must have their assigned PEC class code • Candidates changing to a PEC test must have already enrolled in the PEC course and have their assigned PEC class code

To change examination category:Eligibility must be re-established for the new exam category, and additional documentation and fees may be required. The time to consider eligibility for the new category will count toward the original assigned 90 day computer testing window. Examinees must take the exam for which they have been determined eligible. No changes will be permitted on examination day. If a candidate knowingly or unknowingly takes an examination other than the one she/he was found eligible to take, the examination will not be scored. No refunds will be allowed, and all fee policies will apply if the candidate reapplies for an examination.

• Computer Candidates must submit their request at least 30 days prior to the end of their testing window • ICP Candidates must have their assigned test site code and submit their request at least 45 days prior to testing date• PEC Candidates CANNOT change their examination category

Withdrawing from the examination process

Withdrawal policy - Computer Testing

Only the applicant/candidate can withdraw from the examination process.

All withdrawal requests must be submitted online at the NCC website BEFORE the final day of the assigned testing window and provided that: > the candidate has not made an appointment to take the exam at an AMP center or > if the candidate has made an appointment with AMP, it must be cancelled no later than four business days prior to the scheduled testing date.

No refund will be considered after the exam date.

Refunds for Withdrawing Candidates

Computer candidates withdrawing from a Core or NP Certification exam will receive a $160 refund of their $325 payment.

Computer candidates withdrawing from a Subspecialty exam will receive a $105 refund of their $210 payment.

Anyone who has previously requested an extension or deferral is not eligible to withdraw.

ADA requests

It is the policy of NCC that no individual will be excluded from the examinations as a result of age, sex, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status or gender identity.

Any requests for special testing accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act must be made in writing and submitted to the NCC office, 676 N. Michigan Ave., #3600, Chicago, IL 60611 Attn: ADA Requests. Download the special request form. You must upload this form to the NCC website at the Additional Submissions Portal the same day you submit your application online. Upon receipt of such requests for special accommodations, NCC will contact the applicant. Such requests must be signed by a clinician, physician, or other qualified specialist with training and experience appropriate to diagnose and treat the specified disability. Applications and other documentation should be submitted online. In the future, an online option for ADA requests will become available. Requests received after the testing windows starts may result in delays or additional fees. Email bwolff@nccnet.org with any ADA questions.

NCC does not provide any review courses or study materials for the examinations. NCC views the examinations as an evaluative process. Eligibility criteria have been established to identify minimum levels of preparation for the examinations. Candidates will receive detailed test outlines and suggested resources upon receipt of their application—see Candidate Guides below.